It’s been a long, slow rebuild for the Bulldogs, who have now failed to make the finals four seven consecutive years and haven’t won more than seven games in any of the last four seasons. Not a great start to an argument as to why they can play finals this year, but hear me out. The gradual turnover of this list now has head coach Cameron Ciraldi operating a team which is entirely his own, so he will be facing no shortage of pressure to get them to finally demonstrate some improvement this season. Last year was a big disappointment, there is no doubting that – after jumping from three wins in successive years to seven in 2022, 2023 was supposed to be a year in which they might at least give some hope to fans about a return to the finals, and a 3-2 start which included wins over the Storm and Cowboys did just that. Unfortunately, it didn’t last, and they gradually dropped down the NRL ladder to ultimately finish in 15th. Their consistency was, it’s safe to say, lacking – a prime example came in Rounds 18 and 19, when they lost 66-0 to the Knights then beat the Rabbitohs the next week. They have some ability, but have just too often been unable to show it on a consistent basis. A few savvy moves in the off-season should give this team a more hard-nosed edge, hopefully lifting their floor. They might not be world beaters, but this is a team which has shown it can match it with much more highly fancied opposition. If they can find a way to win the games that they are supposed to, there is some reason to believe the Bulldogs could be a bolter in 2024. Things could easily go the opposite way, too, but at long odds they aren’t without hope of making the finals.
- What brings them here? Nothing in the performance of the Bulldogs over the last few years suggests they are capable of being a finals side, but they have the capacity to improve a lot this year – whether that actually manifests, however, is anybody’s guess.
- What has changed? There have been a lot of changes at the Bulldogs, unsurprisingly given their efforts last year. All of Jake Averillo, Corey Waddell, Kyle Flanagan, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Paul Alamoti have gone elsewhere in the NRL while Luke Thompson and Jayden Okunbor headed overseas. Stephen Crichton is a huge pickup from the Panthers who could help to straighten this team out, while they also snared Jaeman Salmon from the reigning Premiers. Kurt Mann is a big get from the Knights, Jake Turpin and Drew Hutchison come across from the Roosters, Blake Taaffe from the Rabbitohs, Poasa Faamausili from the Dolphins, and Connor Tracey from the Sharks.
- Injury update: There are just two names on the injury list for the Bulldogs entering the season, though they both have indefinite return dates – Karl Oloapu is the first with a neck injury, while Ryan Sutton has a knee injury.
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